‘It’s Me, Farhan, Don’t Shoot’: New Details Emerge From Dramatic Gaza Rescue

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — New details have emerged from the dramatic rescue of Farhan El-Qadi from the Hamas tunnels in Gaza.

The rescue operation was based on advance intelligence which indicated that El-Qadi was stuck in the tunnels but without his captors. Special force members of Shayetet 13 and Yahalam descended into the tunnels and called out to him. He answered them, stating that “It’s me, Farhan, don’t shoot”, according to a Channel 12 report.

At this stage it was complicated to reach Farhan, as he was inside a complex of tunnels in a side room. The IDF forces worked carefully, wary of terrorist traps, before they reached the room and found him alone in the tunnel.

The first person to speak with Farhan was Col. Ahsan Daqsa, an Arabic-speaking officer, who asked him lots of details that the forces wanted to know. Farhan was then flown to Soroka hospital.

Israeli security officials estimate that Hamas has lost touch with some of the hostages and are trying to determine what happened to them. The IDF believes that it will not be possible to return all of the hostages in military operations.

Farhan (52), who lost some 20 kg of body weight in captivity, said that he had not ceased believing that he would get out alive. He claimed that his captors had fled when the IDF called out to him. “I thought the tunnel was booby-trapped so I walked very slowly,” he added.” He added that he was cut off from radio and television and had little idea what was happening outside during the last 10 months.”